Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: The Emperor's Path
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The filming was reaching its final stages.
The plot had hit its climax, with all the foreshadowing paying off. The characters' emotions intertwined, and conflicts exploded.
Doken, who had started as a minor third-rate villain in the early parts of the movie, had now grown into a supporting character threatening to steal the spotlight from the leads. What had begun as a one-man action thriller had transformed, ramped up with even more intense action and a touch of romance.
"Alright, Jaeyeon! Time to rip that shirt off!"
At Director Allen's call, I raised my hand.
"Director."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Doesn't it feel like I'm taking my shirt off too often...?"
This was already the seventh shirtless scene. Every time some incident popped up, my clothes got shredded. Allen had an answer for my concern.
"Jaeyeon, take a look to your right."
"...?"
I turned my head at his words. In one corner of the set, Seongjae was monitoring his own performance.
'It's the visuals.'
It wasn't just his facial features—his proportions, style, and skin were all perfect. A scowl brought out fierce masculinity, while a smile revealed boyish innocence. A once-in-a-generation handsome face.
Allen spoke up.
"Get it now?"
"Get what?"
"You can't win with your face alone."
"..."
He spoke to my bewildered expression.
"Rip it."
"..."
In the end, I tore my shirt.
"Ooh..."
"Wow. Still jaw-dropping every time. How much does he work out?"
"Those muscles aren't even that bulky, but they're so defined..."
"Insane that a body like that doesn't belong to a Vitality Cultivator."
I ignored the staff's murmurs and pressed on with the scene.
Crash!
I punched away falling debris. Normally, the Dreamwalker Sect mages would handle effects like this, but since Director Allen knew I possessed the strength to hurl a Gigas, he demanded real, physical action—smashing and tossing for real.
"Hup!"
I dashed through the burning spaceship interior. It wasn't a real spaceship, of course—just a set crafted by Dreamwalker Sect mages from space-themed dreams.
Scarlet was piggybacked on me as I raced down the corridor.
"I'm sorry..."
"Shut up and snap out of it, you fool! Idiot! You think anyone will appreciate your self-sacrifice!?"
"I know you do..."
Her voice came out moist and trembling.
"And you know it too."
"Crazy... crazy, crazy! Stupid, stupid idiot!"
"Cut! Good, next!"
At Allen's call, I set Scarlet down.
He was already yelling at the other staff.
"Get the stunt team and mercenaries over here, now! No time with this temp set! Hey! No walking—run!"
As I watched the staff hustle, Scarlet suddenly spoke up.
"Jaeyeon."
She'd been intimidated by me at first, but after filming together, the distance between us had closed. We'd fought scenes, carried each other, even done a kiss scene a few times now—it was only natural.
"Yes, Scarlet."
"Oh, come on! Call me Hye-young already! How long are you going to use my failed idol stage name?"
"Ah, it's just familiar... sticks more."
"Right. And this is a bit late, but..."
Scarlet—no, Hye-young—stripped off her tattered clothes and slipped into a simple black hanbok over them before asking.
"You've got acting experience, right, Jaeyeon?"
"No way. Never had any interest in this stuff."
If my acting seemed polished, it was simply from years of being thrown into medieval Revard and taking on completely different roles day after day.
Unlike the 34th Earth, where lies were taboo, everything about me in Ardania was a fabrication. If you couldn't fool even yourself, you wouldn't survive.
"You're amazing, Jaeyeon. Great acting, and you don't even flinch in front of all these staff and cameras. I still get nervous just standing in front of one."
"Well, the staff aren't going to kill me."
No matter how many eyes were on me, they were nothing compared to the nobles who despised me, the knights burning with hatred and jealousy, or the greedy mercenaries peeking around corners.
Especially now, commanding forces in the tens of thousands—tensing up under this level of scrutiny was impossible.
"Heh. That's so you, Jaeyeon. I was worried at first, but you're handling it perfectly."
As she said, I'd been proficient from the start. Barely any NGs, great memory—two reads through the script and I had it memorized.
"Cut!"
But I didn't nail every scene.
"Cut! Jaeyeon, more pride! Deliver it like a grand oration! This is Doken awakening to his identity as emperor. Noble blood. Lead the people with the bearing of Noble Blood!"
I couldn't help protesting Allen's direction.
"But Director, this doesn't make any sense, no matter how you slice it. Doken lived on the 34th Earth, got tangled in crime, and became a space pirate, right? He'd know the ways of greater space by then, with an identity as both a 34th Earth citizen and pirate. Awakening as emperor just because he's leading a few thousand...?"
As a native of the 34th Earth—who even served the Elder Gods—Allen couldn't grasp an outsider's perspective at all.
Pride as royalty? Awakening as emperor?
If your civilization had stagnated after collapse, maybe. But arriving on a world as renowned as the 34th Earth in greater space and clinging to that sentiment? That was for fools refusing to accept reality.
'And he's not even Emperor Class.'
Even in hyper-advanced civilizations, true emperors existed.
Those who transcended Transcendence, surpassing civilization's power as ultimate beings.
Monsters who could shatter fleets solo or destroy stars.
Mid-tier Transcendents. Mid-tier gods.
In magic terms, 10th Class. In martial arts, Natural Realm or Mythic Realm.
'Real emperors.'
Transcendents who could uplift or doom a civilization single-handedly commanded awe, no matter the advancement.
The Leonhardt Empire, home to the 34th Earth, was founded by Mid-tier Transcendent Emperor Leonhardt himself. Of course, the 34th Earth was an utter anomaly in greater space—transformed by a Game Master (top-tier god) into something beyond a normal empire.
"No, sure, from a greater space view it's different, but not everyone with that title is like that, right? Heck, even our folks call their family head the 'Female Emperor of the Great Han Empire.'"
"..."
My head throbbed at the idea of emperor as some corporate chairman or honorary title.
An emperor was the king of kings. The sole authority under heaven.
The moment a frog leaps from its well and sees their emperors as insignificant, the throne loses its honor.
"Cut! Again!"
"Cut! Again!"
"Cut! Hm... not working. Let's wrap for today. We'll shoot other scenes while I rethink the script. If it's hitting you this hard, my take must be off. These issues are sensitive these days too..."
In the end, filming wrapped there, and I returned to my dorm.
I closed the single room door, sorted the inventory of my auto-hunting character, and set it back to hunt.
"Emperor."
I muttered absently, sitting on the bed and leaning against the wall.
"Emperor... Noble Blood..."
An old memory surfaced.
[I'm royalty! Heir to the Divine Royal House! How dare you scum look down on me!]
My father clung to past glories. Even after a decade-plus on the 34th Earth, he only reminisced about life on the 98th Earth.
My father was human trash.
He didn't work, didn't support the family. He despised my mother, a former maid, and lashed out with fists at the slightest annoyance.
My father was an ability user.
He'd trained in secret royal arts (trash-tier by 34th Earth standards) and consumed elixirs growing up, reaching Expert level or better.
Naturally, his punches were lethal to my near-normal mother. Every drunken rampage left her on death's door.
I fared the same.
Even with my sturdy build, his merciless beatings were hard to endure. Bones broke, blood spilled repeatedly.
Going to the hospital? Out of the question.
His face was already stamped with multiple [Stigmas of Sin] for unacceptable domestic violence. One sign at the hospital, and doctors wouldn't stay quiet.
Family matters. Cultural differences. Excuses that kept him safe—but one police report, and he'd be in prison. His meager combat skills could beat wife and kid, but not Justice God's priests.
[Whoa~ Total human scum~]
Justice God's priests charging in excitedly? He'd be hauled off without resistance.
'If only... If I'd jumped out the window and sought help...'
But I couldn't. I was too young, and Mother still submitted to him.
Then that day.
When I was middle-school age.
I awakened [Inexplicable Combat Foresight]... and, as always, stood between him and Mother beating her.
"..."
I remember that day.
Father, bloodied face blank with shock. Mother just weeping.
The next day.
Father killed himself.
"Disgusting..."
I gave a bitter laugh at the long-buried memory.
Memories of wandering the 34th Earth followed. Even in a near-paradise of advanced civilization, I found no path. Always angry, causing trouble everywhere.
But now?
'Funny, isn't it?'
A barbaric, violent relic of a backwater civilization became a valiant warrior, trusted comrade, and respectable leader only after landing in medieval Revard—filled with blood, flesh, lies, and malice.
"...Log in."
Flash!
The scene shifted instantly. From a warm modern dorm to a blizzard-ravaged dungeon—my body chilled despite Cold Resistance. Not a great environment.
'One of the three bosses down. Same method for the other two.'
I leaped forward thinking that. But unfortunately, the enemies weren't idiots.
"Metal can! Fall back!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Snow Woman and Golem abandoned their attacks and retreated.
Instead, thousands of monsters swarmed.
"Kiyaaak... Gahk!"
I sliced the charging Yeti's throat and pushed ahead, but cold attacks poured from all sides. Ice swords and spears battered me; Ice Elementals threw themselves fearlessly to block movement.
Violence of numbers.
Like the ogre in Apgujeong-dong—I was on the receiving end. Individually unignorable attacks rained like arrows; even I couldn't break through.
"Help the lord!"
"We'll smash 'em too!"
Knights and soldiers followed behind me.
Boom! Crash!
"Spells! Faster on the spells...!"
"Too cold! My mouth's freezing..."
Mages hurled fire magic at the monsters too.
"Graaah!"
"Groooar!"
"Clangclangclang!"
Monsters scattered throughout the dungeon converged, intensifying the battle. Soldiers slashed by ice, punched down, or frozen solid littered the floor.
Yet their morale didn't break.
"Don't retreat!"
"Hold position! Die in place!"
The dungeon had opened little over a year ago, monsters appearing. No history or tradition—most of my forces were foreigners, no different from randos.
Yet their loyalty and pride surpassed norms.
'...Yeah. That's right.'
I knew it.
I was already no different from an emperor.
Subordinates had urged proclaiming an empire—or kingdom—at least a dozen times. It was feasible. Population short? My territory and forces were strong enough.
But I hadn't. Mental hang-ups.
I'd chalked it up to "not time yet." But Allen's words showed otherwise.
'I was the idiot.'
Bitter smile as I scanned the battlefield.
Situation bad. Getting worse. Brutal cold sapped soldiers' strength; prolonged fight drew every scattered monster.
Monsters now densely packed around us eroded my army like waves crashing on the shore.
Fighting on? Total wipeout soon, me included.
"Good."
But I'd planned for it.
"Enough gathered."
Kukukung!
I swung my Herculean Blade, clearing space by smashing monsters aside. Then shouted.
"Now!"
At my command, Steelstone, Hundred, Smile, Flower, and Hayes yelled in unison.
"Come forth!"
"Come forth!"
"Come forth!"
No time for interfaces. Everyone's hands full.
"Kasim!"
[Roaring Drake Kasim (Legendary) is summoned!]
Six Drakes summoned at once caused chaos. Monsters trampled under Kasim's bulk; some even attacked him.
But no matter how fierce, monsters couldn't fell a Legendary-grade Drake instantly.
"Roar."
Whoooosh—
At my order, a white orb formed before Kasim's maw.
Problem was...
"Roar! Howl already!"
"Roar, Kasim!"
Only my summoned Kasim prepped the roar; the others didn't.
Hayes's just stared blankly at its master. The rest worse—backs hunched, ready to bolt.
'Damn it! Should've practiced?'
Yelling as I thought it.
"Roar!"
"Grrr..."
My shout drew every White Drake's gaze. Then...
Whoooosh—
Whoooosh—
Light orbs bloomed everywhere.
"Block them! Block those big bastards' breaths!"
"Graaah!"
Monsters panicked and charged, but too late. Kasim's breath had short cast time, not long cooldown.
Gulp.
My Kasim swallowed its orb first.
[Kasim roars!]
[Kasim roars!]
[Kasim roars!]
[Kasim...]
Light exploded. Densely packed monsters swept away in one go. Area skill dropping on the mob blocking my advance—efficiency off the charts!
Unlike guildmates or elite allies linked by alliance system, monsters couldn't brace or brace against the Divine Roars.
"Kek..."
But the two boss monsters survived the devastation. Boss-grade bonuses. Still, I stood before the survivors.
"It's over."
"Human! I curse y—"
Slash!
Snow Woman's head flew. Ice Golem's core shattered next.
That was it.
[Hell difficulty of Ice Queen's Paradise (Advanced~Heroic) cleared!]
[Guilds completing conditions first can declare siege!]
[Splendid Brick Castle (Advanced) appears!]
"Ooh... warm..."
"Can breathe..."
Rumble!
Soldiers collapsed on the receding ground.
Geomile Island was over -15°C, but paradise compared to the near-fatal freeze of the dungeon—even bundled up.
I gauged casualties. Short battle, yet over 3,000 down.
Yet despite the horrific losses, soldiers gazed at me with shining eyes.
"All of you, well done."
"Waaaaah!"
"We won! Our victory!"
Amid erupting cheers, I was already walking.
The emperor's path.